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ruutiveijari

macrumors regular
Dec 11, 2005
149
0
Hellsinki
We basically get the exact same phones as the states, just a few months earlier.
Not exactly. Quite a few models are toned down models of the ones we are using in Europe. This is because in the 'States providers tell the manufacturers what they want. For example the Nokia E61 turned in to Nokia E62 which is basically the same phone but with out 3G and WLAN.
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
I agree and it baffles me when people say that Europe is this super advanced continent when it comes to cell phones. Its just not true. We basically get the exact same phones as the states, just a few months earlier. The iPhone here will be competing against the likes of the N95, just like it is in the States.
I wouldn't say that the iPhone competes against the N95 here in the States because no US carrier offers the N95 as a choice, and the vast majority of US folks will only consider a phone if its offered by their carrier.
 

Project

macrumors 68020
Aug 6, 2005
2,297
0
I wouldn't say that the iPhone competes against the N95 here in the States because no US carrier offers the N95 as a choice, and the vast majority of US folks will only consider a phone if its offered by their carrier.

Im talking about in terms of perception and market position; almost all iPhone reviews compare it to the N95 because that is/was a similar price and represented the top of the line multimedia phone from the dominant mobile company.
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
My point was more towards your comment that "We [Europe] basically get the exact same phones as the states, just a few months earlier."

In essence, that's not correct.

What I mean is that even though European phones (like the N95) can be purchased through resellers, the fact that none of the US mobile companies (AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, or any of the smaller ones) carry them means that to the average US consumer, those phones aren't available in the US.
 

Project

macrumors 68020
Aug 6, 2005
2,297
0
My point was more towards your comment that "We [Europe] basically get the exact same phones as the states, just a few months earlier."

In essence, that's not correct.

What I mean is that even though European phones (like the N95) can be purchased through resellers, the fact that none of the US mobile companies (AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, or any of the smaller ones) carry them means that to the average US consumer, those phones aren't available in the US.

How is it not correct when you can purchase a Nokia N95 in the States right now? The N95 is not a phone for the average US consumer, but if they wanted to they could buy it right now from the Nokia stores in the US or from a host of online stores. Hence the 'same phones as the States'.

My post said nothing on distribution and what carriers pick it up. It was about the types of phones available to US users and how they are not dramatically different to what we can get in the UK, and mostly the same.
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
That's exactly why I said "in essence" before I said "that's not correct". It is true that virtually every phone offered in Europe can be purchased in the US.

Until the cell phones that are offered at normal prices to European consumers are offered at normal prices to US consumers, there's going to be the perception that Europe is some super-advanced continent when it comes to cell phones.

That is what you were baffled about a few posts ago, no?
 

megfilmworks

macrumors 68020
Jul 1, 2007
2,046
16
Sherman Oaks
I was surprised last week in two pretty hip cities (Amsterdam and Dublin) that very few people even knew what my iPhone was. But I have also noticed the vast majority of Americans outside the tech and entertainment world don't know much more than asking "Is that one of those Apple phones?" I have found Sweden, Finland, Norway and Germany to be the most advanced with regard to high tech cell phones and knowledge of same.
 
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